Future Untold - Peacekeeper
by Captain Morigyn Leri
Summary: Aeryn's story in the arc.


Sozana looked at the woman who stood in front of her desk. "I'd say welcome aboard, Officer Sun, but from the expression on your face, that would be inappropriate." She smiled wryly as she looked down at the orders in front of her. "I have here promotion orders, effective upon your arrival, Senior Officer Sun. Also included in this is your assignment. Your CO is aboard Mordre, the Leviathan. Dismissed!" She handed the papers over to Sr. Officer Sun before the woman saluted sharply and left.

Aeryn stepped into command aboard Mordre, and waited patiently for her new CO to finish recieving a report from a Lieutenant, who looked up as she came in.

"Sir, your new officer has arrived."

The commander turned, and Aeryn felt a frission of shock go through her body, even as she spoke, the words already issuing from her mouth.

"Senior Officer Sun reporting for duty as ordered, sir."

Velorek smiled, taking two long strides toward her, and swept her up into his arms, his lips descending on hers in a passionate kiss.

"Sir, with all due respect, get a room." The Lieutenant behind Velorek had a straight face, but Aeryn could see the twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

"Dismissed, Lieutenant." Velorek waved her away, his eyes never leaving Aeryn's. "I never thought I'd see you again, Aeryn."

"I thought you were executed." Aeryn pulled away.

Velorek nodded, and gestured her to precede him out the door. "It's a long story, better told over dinner?"

"Certainly." Aeryn walked with him to the galley, where several men and women moved about, eating quickly, and getting back to thier duties. Velorek led her over to a small table in the corner, with chairs for two. It was apparently his normal table, since no one else came near it.

He started to talk after eating a few bites of the meal in front of him. "It started long before I met you, really. Captain Zaran and her superiors in the resistance movement had been watching me. They approached me to request my assitance in stopping Crais's project." He continued slowly, as they ate thier meal, and Aeryn listened in fascination.

About half-way through, a boy came over to the table, a tray of food in his hands, interrupting Velorek's narrative. "You forgot about dinner, father. You said you'd come get me for it." The boy's dark grey eyes regarded Aeryn accusingly, something about the boy disturbing her. "Who's she?"

Velorek smiled, chagrined. "I'm sorry, Kelan, I did forget. This is Aeryn Sun."

"It's all right. I'll eat someplace else tonight." Kelan turned away, and Velorek caught him by the shoulder before he could move any furthur.

"You can join us tonight, Kelan. Just pull up an extra chair." Velorek looked over at Aeryn. "If you don't have a problem with it, Aeryn."

"It's fine." She continued to study the boy, wondering why he disturbed her.

She recieved her answer when he took off his jacket and hung over the back of his chair. On his shoulder was a darker patch of skin, shaped vaguely like a Leviathan, even with the three arms. Her eyes clouded with tears, blurring her vision.

"What's wrong, Aeryn?" Velorek was watching her with concern.

"I remember that mark. I saw it eight cycles ago, when my son was born. I named him Kelan Sun."

Kelan looked up at her, his grey eyes devoid of expression. "And I was born eight cycles ago, and brought here. I heard about your going rogue when I was four. Why didn't you come then?"

Aeryn opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out.

Kelan watched her a moment longer, before shrugging, and turning his attention to his meal. "It doesn't matter."

Aeryn watched Kelan as he sat with the other children, listening to thier teacher as she told them an old tale of the Peacekeepers, before they had become corrupted. A hand rested on her shoulder, and she looked over at the man who'd come up.

"He's a very intelligent boy, very inquisitive, most of the time. Why don't you tell him a story?" The older man kept his eyes on Kelan, a warmth in thier grey depths.

"Do I know you, sir?"

The man turned to look at her. "Council member Mikail Sun. Xalax was my younger sister." He was watching her for a reaction.

"Excuse me?"

"Uncle Mikail!" Kelan ran up to the man, who scooped him up, and swung him around. "What're you here for, Uncle Mikail? Didja come to see me?"

"I'll always come by to see my favorite nephew, Kelan." Mikail smiled as he set the boy down. "So, have you been good for the teacher?"

"Yes, sir." Kelan smiled up at Mikail. "Oh, Uncle, are you going to come for dinner tonight?"

Mikail looked over at Aeryn, Kelan's hand tucked into his. "Of course, Kelan. Your mother and I have a lot to talk about."

"...So mother was more than upset that Xalax wanted to become a commando. She was even less proud of me, though, since I choose to leave the Peacekeepers, join the renegades when I was still a cadet."" Mikail shrugged as he speared another one of the shellfish that he had brought aboard, along with his own cook and several servers. "I didn't like what the Peacekeepers had become, a corruption of a once glorious organization." Mikail's lips twisted in a bitter grimace. "But we're trying to change that, and eventually, we will succeed." He looked over at Aeryn, who'd been silent the whole time. "Aeryn, are you all right?"

Aeryn looked up from her food. "I'm fine. Why?"

"You weren't this silent as a child. What happened to silence such an inquisitive and expressive person?"

"I became a Peacekeeper, like I was suppossed to be."

"That isn't an answer, Aeryn." Mikail set down his fork, watching her. "Are you all right?"

Aeryn looked down at her plate, trying to lod back her tears. "I'm fine." She stood up, turning to leave. "I have to go."

Velorek looked over at Mikail, the question and answer unspoken, before he left to follow Aeryn. "Aeryn."

She stood on Mordre's terrace, looking out at the stars. She turned, and Velorek wrapped his arms around her as she cried into his shoulder.

"It will be all right, Aeryn." He stroked her hair, sinking to the floor with her in his arms, letting her cry until she fell asleep before carefully pickign her up, and carrying her to his quarters, laying her on the bed. He took an extra blanket, and pillow, making a bed for himself on the floor.


End file.
